Risotto is a classic Italian dish known for its creamy texture and rich flavor. But eaters beware, that’s surely not an innocent bowl of rice you’re dealing with. I looked up the nutrition stats from some popular restaurants and check this out: One popular shrimp risotto had 620 calories, 30 grams of fat and 2,530 milligrams of sodium. A lobster risotto at a different restaurant had 1,103 calories and 25 grams of fat. Yet another joint served a cheese risotto with 1,280 calories and 110 grams of fat. Jeez, what kind of cheese are they using? Or is it the whole cow? The vegetable and lemon risottos scored a little better, but not much.

I found a way to lighten up shrimp risotto without taking away its creamy goodness. The key is quality ingredients and lots of stirring. I replace most of the fat with flavorful broth – beef broth. That might sound odd, but it gives the risotto a “surf and turf” quality. I add roasted garlic for depth of flavor and I stir frequently for the entire 20-25 minute cooking time (stirring encourages the starch and broth to create a creamy sauce).

We’re teaming up with food and garden bloggers to host Spring Fling 2011, a season-long garden party. In coming weeks, we’ll feature favorite garden-to-table recipes and tips to help you enjoy the bounty, whether you’re harvesting your own goodies or buying them fresh from the market.

Spring is in the air, which means it’s time for fresh asparagus. This green veggie is packed with energy boosting B-vitamins and a boatload of other nutrients like fiber, vitamin C, beta-carotene and iron. Here are 5 ways to cook it up.

Beets may not seem like an exciting veggie but, when these babies turn up at the farmer’s market, all I can think about is making my Roasted Beet Risotto (recipe below). In the dish, beets and their greens (both edible!) join with creamy risotto for a comforting vegetarian meal.